Essential Oils for Tinnitus Relief

Dealing with tinnitus is by no means an easy task: people affected by this condition are ready to do anything for a single minute of silence, often with little to no effect. Today I’m going to spotlight yet another natural approach to the treatment of ringing in the ears, namely essential oils for tinnitus relief.

Many tinnitus sufferers state that their experience with this kind of natural remedies is exceptionally positive, but are there any scientific studies to explain and back the claims? What are essential oils anyway, and how can they possibly relieve tinnitus? Let’s find out!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, volatile oils, aromatherapy oils—those are all different names for the same thing in the end: plant oils. Concentrated oily substances extracted from all sorts of herbs, flowers, and trees, which contain the unique “essence” of the plant: its scent and healing properties.

Mankind has been using essential oils for centuries already, including them into cosmetics and perfumes, foods and drinks, resorting to them both to heal the body and to soothe the mind.

How do essential oils work?

The short answer is that it depends on the specific plant of origin, as the compounds of all essential oils differ greatly from one to another. Some of them are powerful anti-inflammatory agents, others have antibacterial and analgesic (painkilling) properties. The effects of each oil in this article are described in detail below.

The 3 main aspects of treating tinnitus with essential oils

As you may already know from one of my other articles, tinnitus isn’t really a standalone condition. Rather than that, it’s a manifestation of another disease, pathological process, or injury such as (but not limited to):

In the light of the previous list, the best essential oils for the treatment of tinnitus have at least one of the following health benefits:

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties (beneficial in case of allergies and injuries)

Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal properties (perfect for the treatment and prevention of infections)

Soothing and sedative properties (useful in case of mood disorders and anxiety)

In other words, by treating and alleviating the underlying condition of your tinnitus, the essential oils listed below could be very likely to relieve the symptom itself. So, without further ado, let’s get to the point.

7 powerful essential oils for tinnitus relief

Helichrysum (immortelle)

Helichrysum, also known as immortelle, everlasting, and curry plant (although it has nothing to do with the spice, actually) is a representative of the daisy family. In summertime, helichrysum produces large clusters of bright yellow flowers that retain most of their color even after drying.

This beautiful member of the cypress family grows in a vast multitude of areas, from the snowy plains of the Arctic down to the African tropics. Juniper essential oils are usually extracted from its berries and pointy needle-like leaves.

Did you know that “basil” literally means “royal” in Greek? Sometimes called “king of herbs,” basil is not just a delicious culinary plant, but also serves as the source of an extremely useful essential oil.

Petitgrain is the common name for a group of essential oils extracted from plants of the citrus family, such as bitter orange (bigarade), mandarin orange (petitgrain mandarin), bergamot orange (petitgrain bergamot) and lemon (petitgrain citronnier). The listed oils are used mainly (and almost exclusively) in perfumery and for aromatherapy.

Cypress oils are widely used in Ayurveda to soothe the mind and alleviate depression. Although these properties are mostly traditionally believed to be true rather than are scientifically confirmed, cypress essential oils have a quite pleasant fragrance and have several other benefits for anyone suffering from tinnitus.

May be useful for tinnitus caused by: allergies, non-infectious inflammations.

How to use essential oils for tinnitus relief: a brief instruction

For tinnitus caused by infections and inflammations: mix one drop of the essential oil of choice with 5-7 drops of olive oil, then put 3-5 drops of the final solution into the affected ear. Let it act for 5 minutes, then gently tilt your head to let residual liquid flow out. Do not put pure essential oil inside your ears. Alternatively, you can gently apply 1-2 drops of the chosen essential oil on your earlobe and behind your ear with a gentle massage.

For tinnitus caused by inflammations, infections, allergies: another rather popular approach for using essential oils to treat ear-related conditions consists of applying a couple of drops of an essential oil to a cotton ball, then soaking the ball in olive oil. After that, squeeze the ball just enough to remove any residual liquid: the cotton ball should be mildly wet, but not dripping. Before going to sleep, gently put the cotton ball in your ear (without stuffing it inside your ear canal, just let it sit in your external ear overnight). Remove in the morning.

For tinnitus caused by mood disorders, depression, insomnia: the options are endless. You can use an aromatherapy lamp to spread the scent all around the room, apply a bit of the substance on your body as a perfume, or sprinkle a couple of drops over your bed before going to sleep.

The bottom line

As you see, there are quite a few options to go with. Remember that picking the best essential oil to treat your tinnitus is also a matter of taste, not just about medical effectiveness. After all, what’s the point is terrorizing yourself with a fragrance you hate even if it could be mildly beneficial for your condition? Just find a pleasant alternative and get the most out of your natural treatment!

This is some really cool information. Recently, I picked up a pamphlet about essential oils and I was quite intrigued by all the various kinds. Just so happen I have had instances of ringing in the ear but not often or consistent. I have found this post very helpful. Sounds like I have a reason to learn more about and try out essential oils. I have never heard of the ones you mention above, but based on the benefits, I have definitely added them to the list for consideration. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Claudette, thanks for your comment. A lot of people have experienced tinnitus at some point but fortunately the symptoms don’t last in most cases and the ringing in the ears goes away. There are many different types of essential oils, and they all come with their own health benefits and I’m happy to introduce you to some new ones here. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and thanks for reading.

Wow, I got so much information just reading your post! I have never heard about Petitgrain and Patchouli and their healing qualities. I like essential oils and have a lot of them in my home, but have never thought that I can also use them for tinnitus relief. My father has recently tinnitus and I am happy to find that source of relief from pain.

Hello Olina, thanks for commenting. Petitgrain and Patchouli are not as well known as some of the other essential oil but do have wonderful healing abilities. I’m happy to know that you’ve learnt something by reading this and I hope it can help your father find some relief of his tinnitus.

Hi Lee,
Just wondering if essential oils will do anything for ears that are clogged. I don’t have the ringing, but occasionally I’ve been experiencing clogged ears that last for a few days. I love essential oils and would be excited to learn if they could work for this condition too. Thanks,
Jackie

Hi Jackie, Tea tree oil has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties and inhaling it can help in unclogging blocked ears. Try filling a bowl with steaming hot water, add a few drops of Tea tree oil and then cover your head with a towel and breathe slowly. I hope this helps and please return to let me know if you have any success with this.

Hi Lee, thanks for posting this article, I did not know any of this – have favorited it. I’m desperately looking for ways to cure my own tinnitus. I took a course of medication earlier this year called Pregabalin and I’ve had terrible tinnitus ever since. Apparently, tinnitus is one of the side effects. If you were me, which oil would you use to treat it? Cheers

Are you still taking this medication? Because in most cases once you stop taking the drug causing tinnitus, the symptoms tend to go aswell. The research conducted into these oils have no mention of relieving the symptoms of tinnitus caused by medications but if you were to try one, I would have to say lavender because of it versatility. Hope this helps but here another link if you are still looking for some tinnitus remedies.https://blockblockedears.com/cure-tinnitus-naturally

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